Working safely during

COVID-19 in offices and

contact centres
Guidance for employers, employees and the self-employed
11 May 2020

Introduction
What do we mean
by ‘offices and
contact centres’?
Indoor environments such as
offices, contact centres,
operations rooms and similar
workplaces.
This document is to help employers, employees and the self-
employed in the UK understand how to work safely during the
COVID-19 pandemic, keeping as many people as possible 2
metres apart from those they do not live with. We hope it gives
you freedom within a practical framework to think about what
you need to do to continue, or restart, operations during the
COVID-19 pandemic. We understand how important it is that you
can work safely and support your workers’ health and wellbeing
during the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that most office
workers are not currently in the workplace, we hope this
document will help those who are already working because they
cannot work from home, as well as help other people think about
how to prepare for when office working returns. The government
is clear that workers should not be forced into an unsafe
workplace.
This document has been prepared by the Department for
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) with input from
firms, unions, industry bodies and the devolved administrations
in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and in consultation with
Public Health England (PHE) and the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE).
Public health is devolved in Northern Ireland, Scotland and
Wales; this guidance should be considered alongside local
public health and safety requirements and legislation in Northern
Ireland, Scotland and Wales. For advice to businesses in other
parts of the UK please see guidance set by the Northern Ireland
Executive, the Scottish Government, and the Welsh Government.
We expect that this document will be updated over time. This
version is up to date as of 11 May 2020. You can check for
updates at www.gov.uk/workingsafely. If you have any feedback
for us, please email workingsafely@beis.gov.uk.
This document is one of a set of documents about how to work
safely in different types of workplace. This one is designed to be
relevant for people who work in or run offices, contact centres
and similar indoor environments.
How to use this guidance
This document sets out guidance on how to work safely. It gives
practical considerations of how this can be applied in the
workplace.
Each business will need to translate this into the specific actions
it needs to take, depending on the nature of their business,
including the size and type of business, how it is organised,
operated, managed and regulated.
This guidance does not supersede any legal obligations relating
to health and safety, employment or equalities and it is important
that as a business or an employer you continue to comply with
your existing obligations, including those relating to individuals
with protected characteristics. It contains non-statutory
guidance to take into account when complying with these
existing obligations. When considering how to apply this
guidance, take into account agency workers, contractors and
other people, as well as your employees.
To help you decide which actions to take, you need to carry
out an appropriate COVID-19 risk assessment, just as you
would for other health and safety related hazards. This risk
assessment must be done in consultation with unions or
workers.
2
 Table of Contents

Introduction 2

How to use this guidance 2

What do we mean by ‘offices and contact centres’? 2

1. Thinking about risk 4

2. Who should go to work 7

3. Social distancing at work 10

4. Managing your customers, visitors and contractors 17

5. Cleaning the workplace 19

6. Personal protective equipment (PPE) and face coverings 23

7. Workforce management 26

8. Inbound and outbound goods 30

Where to obtain further guidance 31

Appendix 31

3
1. Thinking about risk
Objective: That all employers carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment.
Everyone needs to assess and manage the risks of
COVID-19. As an employer, you also have a legal
responsibility to protect workers and others from
risk to their health and safety. This means you
need to think about the risks they face and do
everything reasonably practicable to minimise
them, recognising you cannot completely eliminate
the risk of COVID-19.
You must make sure that the risk assessment for
your business addresses the risks of COVID-19,
using this guidance to inform your decisions and
control measures. A risk assessment is not about
creating huge amounts of paperwork, but rather
about identifying sensible measures to control the
risks in your workplace. If you have fewer than five
workers, or are self-employed, you don’t have to
write anything down as part of your risk
assessment. Your risk assessment will help you
decide whether you have done everything you
need to. There are interactive tools available to
support you from the Health and Safety Executive
(HSE) at
https://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/assessment.htm.
Employers have a duty to consult their people on
health and safety. You can do this by listening and
talking to them about the work and how you will
manage risks from COVID-19. The people who do
the work are often the best people to understand
the risks in the workplace and will have a view on
how to work safely. Involving them in making
How to raise a
concern:
decisions shows that you take their health and
safety seriously. You must consult with the health
and safety representative selected by a recognised
trade union or, if there isn’t one, a representative
chosen by workers. As an employer, you cannot
decide who the representative will be.
At its most effective, full involvement of your
workers creates a culture where relationships
between employers and workers are based on
collaboration, trust and joint problem solving. As is
normal practice, workers should be involved in
assessing workplace risks and the development
and review of workplace health and safety policies
in partnership with the employer.
Employers and workers should always come
together to resolve issues. If concerns still cannot
be resolved, see below for further steps you can
take.
Where the enforcing authority, such as the HSE or
your local authority, identifies employers who are
not taking action to comply with the relevant public
health legislation and guidance to control public
health risks, they will consider taking a range of
actions to improve control of workplace risks. For
example, this would cover employers not taking
appropriate action to socially distance, where
possible. The actions the HSE can take include the
provision of specific advice to employers through
to issuing enforcement notices to help secure
improvements.
Contact your employee representative.
Contact your trade union if you have one.
Contact HSE online using our working safely
enquiry form.
Contact HSE by phone on 0300 790 6787 (lines are
open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 10pm). 4
1.1 Managing risk
Objective: To reduce risk to the lowest reasonably practicable level by
taking preventative measures, in order of priority.

Employers have a duty to reduce workplace risk to the lowest reasonably practicable level by taking
preventative measures. Employers must work with any other employers or contractors sharing the
workplace so that everybody's health and safety is protected. In the context of COVID-19 this means
working through these steps in order:
• In every workplace, increasing the frequency of handwashing and surface cleaning.
• Businesses and workplaces should make every reasonable effort to enable working from home as a
first option. Where working from home is not possible, workplaces should make every reasonable effort
to comply with the social distancing guidelines set out by the government (keeping people 2m apart
wherever possible).

• Where the social distancing guidelines cannot be followed in full, in relation to a particular activity,
businesses should consider whether that activity needs to continue for the business to operate, and if
so, take all the mitigating actions possible to reduce the risk of transmission between their staff.
• Further mitigating actions include:
• Increasing the frequency of hand washing and surface cleaning.

• Keeping the activity time involved as short as possible.

• Using screens or barriers to separate people from each other.
• Using back-to-back or side-to-side working (rather than face-to-face) whenever possible.
• Reducing the number of people each person has contact with by using ‘fixed teams or partnering’
(so each person works with only a few others).
• Finally, if people must work face-to-face for a sustained period with more than a small group of fixed
partners, then you will need to assess whether the activity can safely go ahead. No one is obliged to
work in an unsafe work environment.
• In your assessment you should have particular regard to whether the people doing the work are
especially vulnerable to COVID-19.

The recommendations in the rest of this document are ones you should consider as you go through this
process. You could also consider any advice that has been produced specifically for your sector, for
example by trade associations or trades unions.
If you have not already done so, you should carry out an assessment of the risks posed by COVID-19 in
your workplace as soon as possible. If you are currently operating, you are likely to have gone through a
lot of this thinking already. We recommend that you use this document to identify any further
improvements you should make.

5
1.2 Sharing the results of your risk
assessment

You should share the results of your risk assessment with your workforce. If possible, you should consider
publishing the results on your website (and we would expect all employers with over 50 workers to do so).
Below you will find a notice you should display in your workplace to show you have followed this
guidance.

Staying COVID-19 Secure in 2020

We confrm we have complied with the government’s
guidance on managing the risk of COVID-19

FIVE STEPS TO SAFER

WORKING TOGETHER

We have carried out a COVID-19 risk assessment and

shared the results with the people who work here

We have cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures

in line with guidance

We have taken all reasonable steps to help people work

from home

We have taken all reasonable steps to maintain a 2m

distance in the workplace

Where people cannot be 2m apart, we have done everything

practical to manage transmission risk

Employer Date

Who to contact: Your Health and Safety Representative

(or the Health and Safety Executive at www.hse.gov.uk or 0300 003 1647 )

6
2. Who should go to work

Objective: Steps that will usually be needed:

That everyone
should work from Staff should work from home if at all possible. Consider who
is needed to be on-site; for example:
home, unless they
cannot work from • Workers in roles critical for business and operational
home. continuity, safe facility management, or regulatory
requirements and which cannot be performed remotely.
• Workers in critical roles which might be performed
remotely, but who are unable to work remotely due to
home circumstances or the unavailability of safe enabling
equipment.

Planning for the minimum number of people needed on site to

operate safely and effectively.

Monitoring the wellbeing of people who are working from home

and helping them stay connected to the rest of the workforce,
especially if the majority of their colleagues are on-site.

Keeping in touch with off-site workers on their working

arrangements including their welfare, mental and physical
health and personal security.

Providing equipment for people to work at home safely and

effectively, for example, remote access to work systems.
7
 Objective: To protect clinically vulnerable and clinically extremely
vulnerable individuals.
• Clinically extremely vulnerable individuals (see definition in
Appendix) have been strongly advised not to work outside the
home.

2.1 Protecting
• Clinically vulnerable individuals, who are at higher risk of severe
illness (for example, people with some pre-existing conditions, see

people who
definition in Appendix), have been asked to take extra care in
observing social distancing and should be helped to work from

are at higher home, either in their current role or in an alternative role.

• If clinically vulnerable (but not extremely clinically vulnerable)
risk individuals cannot work from home, they should be offered the
option of the safest available on-site roles, enabling them to stay
2m away from others. If they have to spend time within 2m of
others, you should carefully assess whether this involves an
acceptable level of risk. As for any workplace risk you must take
into account specific duties to those with protected
characteristics, including, for example, expectant mothers who
are, as always, entitled to suspension on full pay if suitable roles
cannot be found. Particular attention should also be paid to
people who live with clinically extremely vulnerable individuals.

Steps that will usually be needed:

Providing support for workers around mental health and

wellbeing. This could include advice or telephone support.

See current guidance for advice on who is in the clinically

extremely vulnerable and clinically vulnerable groups.

Objective: To make sure individuals who are advised to stay at home

under existing government guidance do not physically come to work.
This includes individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19 as well as

2.2 People those who live in a household with someone who has symptoms.

who need to
Steps that will usually be needed:
self-isolate
Enabling workers to work from home while self-isolating if
appropriate.

See current guidance for employees and employers relating

to statutory sick pay due to COVID-19.

See current guidance for people who have symptoms and

those who live with others who have symptoms.

8
8
 Objective: To treat everyone in your workplace equally.
• In applying this guidance, employers should be mindful of the
particular needs of different groups of workers or individuals.
• It is breaking the law to discriminate, directly or indirectly, against
anyone because of a protected characteristic such as age, sex or
2.3 Equality in disability.

the workplace • Employers also have particular responsibilities towards disabled

workers and those who are new or expectant mothers.

Steps that will usually be needed:

Understanding and taking into account the particular

circumstances of those with different protected
characteristics.

Involving and communicating appropriately with workers

whose protected characteristics might either expose them to
a different degree of risk, or might make any steps you are
thinking about inappropriate or challenging for them.

Considering whether you need to put in place any particular

measures or adjustments to take account of your duties
under the equalities legislation.

Making reasonable adjustments to avoid disabled workers

being put at a disadvantage, and assessing the health and
safety risks for new or expectant mothers.

Making sure that the steps you take do not have an

unjustifiable negative impact on some groups compared to
others, for example, those with caring responsibilities or
those with religious commitments.
3. Social distancing at work

Objective: • You must maintain social distancing in the workplace

wherever possible.

To maintain 2m social • Where the social distancing guidelines cannot be followed in

distancing wherever
possible, including
while arriving at and
departing from work,
while in work and when
travelling between sites.
• Social distancing applies to all parts of a business, not just the
full in relation to a particular activity, businesses should
consider whether that activity needs to continue for the
business to operate, and, if so, take all the mitigating actions
possible to reduce the risk of transmission between their staff.
Mitigating actions include:
• Further increasing the frequency of hand washing and
surface cleaning.
• Keeping the activity time involved as short as possible.
• Using screens or barriers to separate people from each
other.
• Using back-to-back or side-to-side working (rather than
face-to-face) whenever possible.
• Reducing the number of people each person has contact
with by using ‘fixed teams or partnering’ (so each person
works with only a few others).
place where people spend most of their time, but also
entrances and exits, break rooms, canteens and similar
settings. These are often the most challenging areas to
maintain social distancing.

10
3.1 Coming to work and leaving work
Objective: To maintain social distancing wherever possible, on arrival and departure
and to ensure handwashing upon arrival.

Steps that will Staggering arrival and departure times at work to

reduce crowding into and out of the workplace, taking
usually be account of the impact on those with protected
needed: characteristics.

Providing additional parking or facilities such as bike-

racks to help people walk, run, or cycle to work where
possible.
Limiting passengers in corporate vehicles, for
example, work minibuses. This could include leaving
seats empty.

Reducing congestion, for example, by having more

entry points to the workplace.

Providing more storage for workers for clothes and

bags.

Using markings and introducing one-way flow at entry

and exit points.

Providing handwashing facilities, or hand sanitiser

where not possible, at entry/exit points and not using
touch-based security devices such as keypads.

Defining process alternatives for entry/exit points

where appropriate, for example, deactivating turnstiles
requiring pass checks in favour of showing a pass to
security personnel at a distance.

11
 3.2 Moving around buildings and worksites
Objective: To maintain social distancing wherever possible while people travel
through the workplace.

Reducing movement by discouraging non-essential

Steps that will trips within buildings and sites, for example,
usually be restricting access to some areas, encouraging use of
radios or telephones, where permitted, and cleaning
needed: them between use.

Restricting access between different areas of a

building or site.

Reducing job and location rotation.

Introducing more one-way flow through buildings.

Reducing maximum occupancy for lifts, providing hand

sanitiser for the operation of lifts and encouraging use
of stairs wherever possible.

Making sure that people with disabilities are able

to access lifts.

Regulating use of high traffic areas including corridors,

lifts turnstiles and walkways to maintain social
distancing.

Example lift practices

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3.3 Workplaces and workstations
Objective: To maintain social distancing between individuals when they are at their
workstations.

• For people who work in one place, workstations should allow them to maintain social distancing wherever
possible.
• Workstations should be assigned to an individual and not shared. If they need to be shared they should
be shared by the smallest possible number of people.
• If it is not possible to keep workstations 2m apart then businesses should consider whether that activity
needs to continue for the business to operate and if so take all mitigating actions possible to reduce the
risk of transmission.

Review layouts and processes to allow people to

Steps that will work further apart from each other.
usually be
Using floor tape or paint to mark areas to help
needed: workers keep to a 2m distance.

Only where it is not possible to move workstations

further apart, arranging people to work side by side
or facing away from each other rather than face-to-
face.

Only where it is not possible to move workstations

further apart, using screens to separate people from
each other.

Managing occupancy levels to enable social

distancing.

Avoiding use of hot desks and spaces and, where

not possible, for example, call centres or training
facilities, cleaning workstations between different
occupants including shared equipment.

Green markers Floor plan and

to limit desk signage to
usage and enable social
maintain social distancing and
distancing safe working in
office

13
 3.4 Meetings
Objective: To reduce transmission due to face-to-face meetings and
maintain social distancing in meetings.

Using remote working tools to avoid in-person

Steps that will meetings.
usually be
needed:
Only absolutely necessary participants should attend
meetings and should maintain 2m separation
throughout.

Avoiding transmission during meetings, for example,

avoiding sharing pens and other objects.

Providing hand sanitiser in meeting rooms.

Holding meetings outdoors or in well-ventilated

rooms whenever possible.

For areas where regular meetings take place, using

floor signage to help people maintain social
distancing.

Aiding social distancing and

cleaning in meetings

14
3.5 Common areas
Objective: To maintain social distancing while using common areas.

Working collaboratively with landlords and other

tenants in multi-tenant sites/buildings to ensure
Steps that will consistency across common areas, for example,
receptions and staircases.
usually be
needed: Staggering break times to reduce pressure on break
rooms or canteens.

Using safe outside areas for breaks.

Creating additional space by using other parts of the

workplace or building that have been freed up by
remote working.

Installing screens to protect staff in receptions or

similar areas.

Providing packaged meals or similar to avoid fully

opening staff canteens.

Encouraging workers to bring their own food.

Reconfiguring seating and tables to maintain spacing

and reduce face-to-face interactions.

Encouraging staff to remain on-site and, when not

possible, maintaining social distancing while off-site.

Regulating use of locker rooms, changing areas and

other facility areas to reduce concurrent usage.

Encouraging storage of personal items and clothing in

personal storage spaces, for example, lockers and
during shifts.

Common areas and appropriate signage to restrict access when social distancing is
not possible / practical

15
3.6 Accidents, security and other incidents
Objective: To prioritise safety during incidents.

• In an emergency, for example, an accident or fire, people do not have to stay 2m apart if it would be
unsafe.
• People involved in the provision of assistance to others should pay particular attention to sanitation
measures immediately afterwards including washing hands.
4. Managing your customers, visitors and
contractors
 Objective: To minimise the number of unnecessary visits to offices.

Steps that will usually be needed:

4.1 Manage Encouraging visits via remote connection/working where

this is an option.
contacts
Where site visits are required, site guidance on social
distancing and hygiene should be explained to visitors on or
before arrival.

Limiting the number of visitors at any one time.

Limiting visitor times to a specific time window and

restricting access to required visitors only.

Determining if schedules for essential services and

contractor visits can be revised to reduce interaction and
overlap between people, for example, carrying out services
at night.

Maintaining a record of all visitors, if this is practical.

Revising visitor arrangements to ensure social distancing

and hygiene, for example, where someone physically signs
in with the same pen in receptions.

4.2 Objective: To make sure people understand what they need to do

to maintain safety.

Providing
and Steps that will usually be needed:
explaining
available Providing clear guidance on social distancing and hygiene
to people on arrival, for example, signage or visual aids and
guidance before arrival, for example, by phone, on the website or by
email.

Establishing host responsibilities relating to COVID-19 and

providing any necessary training for people who act as
hosts for visitors.

Reviewing entry and exit routes for visitors and contractors

to minimise contact with other people.

Coordinating and working collaboratively with landlords and

other tenants in multi-tenant sites, for example, shared
working spaces.

18
5. Cleaning the workplace
 Objective: To make sure that any site or location that has been
closed or partially operated is clean and ready to restart, including:
• An assessment for all sites, or parts of sites, that have been
closed, before restarting work.
5.1 Before • Carrying out cleaning procedures and providing hand sanitiser
before restarting work.
reopening

Steps that will usually be needed:

Checking whether you need to service or adjust

ventilation systems, for example, so that they do not
automatically reduce ventilation levels due to lower than
normal occupancy levels.

Most air conditioning system do not need adjustment,

however where systems serve multiple buildings or you
are unsure, advice can be sought from your heating
ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) engineers or
advisers.

Opening windows and doors frequently to encourage

ventilation, where possible.

5.2 Keeping Objective: To keep the workplace clean and prevent transmission by
touching contaminated surfaces.
the
workplace
clean Steps that will usually be needed:

Frequent cleaning of work areas and equipment

between uses, using your usual cleaning products.

Frequent cleaning of objects and surfaces that are

touched regularly, such as door handles and keyboards,
and making sure there are adequate disposal
arrangements.

Clearing workspaces and removing waste and

belongings from the work area at the end of a shift.

Limiting or restricting use of high-touch items and

equipment, for example, printers or whiteboards.

If you are cleaning after a known or suspected case of

20
COVID-19 then you should refer to the specific guidance.
5.3 Hygiene – handwashing, sanitation
facilities and toilets
Objective: To help everyone keep good hygiene through the working day.

Steps that will Using signs and posters to build awareness of good
handwashing technique, the need to increase
usually be handwashing frequency, avoid touching your face and
needed: to cough or sneeze into a tissue which is binned
safely, or into your arm if a tissue is not available.

Providing regular reminders and signage to maintain

personal hygiene standards.

Providing hand sanitiser in multiple locations in

addition to washrooms.

Setting clear use and cleaning guidance for toilets to

ensure they are kept clean and social distancing is
achieved as much as possible.

Enhancing cleaning for busy areas.

Providing more waste facilities and more frequent

rubbish collection.

Providing hand drying facilities – either paper towels or

electrical dryers.

21
 Objective: To minimise the risk of transmission in changing rooms
and showers.
5.4 Changing
rooms and
showers
Steps that will usually be needed:

Where shower and changing facilities are required, setting

clear use and cleaning guidance for showers, lockers and
changing rooms to ensure they are kept clean and clear of
personal items and that social distancing is achieved as
much as possible.

Introducing enhanced cleaning of all facilities regularly during

the day and at the end of the day.

5.5 Handling Objective: To reduce transmission through contact with objects that
come into the workplace and vehicles at the worksite.

goods,
merchandise Steps that will usually be needed:
and other
materials, Cleaning procedures for goods and merchandise entering
and onsite the site.

vehicles Cleaning procedures for vehicles.

Introducing greater handwashing and handwashing facilities

for workers handling goods and merchandise and providing
hand sanitiser where this is not practical.

Regular cleaning of vehicles that workers may take home.

Restricting non-business deliveries, for example, personal

deliveries to workers.

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6. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and
face coverings
 PPE protects the user against health or safety risks at work. It
can include items such as safety helmets, gloves, eye
protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety
harnesses. It also includes respiratory protective equipment,
such as face masks.
Where you are already using PPE in your work activity to
6. Personal protect against non-COVID-19 risks, you should continue to
do so.
Protective At the start of this document we described the steps you need

Equipment to take to manage COVID-19 risk in the workplace. This

includes working from home and staying 2m away from each

(PPE) and other in the workplace if at all possible. When managing the
risk of COVID-19, additional PPE beyond what you usually

face wear is not beneficial. This is because COVID-19 is a different

type of risk to the risks you normally face in a workplace, and

coverings needs to be managed through social distancing, hygiene and

fixed teams or partnering, not through the use of PPE.
The exception is clinical settings, like a hospital, or a small
handful of other roles for which Public Health England advises
use of PPE. For example, first responders and immigration
enforcement officers. If you are in one of these groups you
should refer to the advice at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-
covid-19-personal-protective-equipment-ppe-plan/covid-19-
personal-protective-equipment-ppe-plan
and
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-
decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings/covid-19-
decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings.

Workplaces should not encourage the precautionary use of

extra PPE to protect against COVID-19 outside clinical
settings or when responding to a suspected or confirmed
case of COVID-19.
Unless you are in a situation where the risk of COVID-19
transmission is very high, your risk assessment should reflect
the fact that the role of PPE in providing additional protection
is extremely limited. However, if your risk assessment does
show that PPE is required, then you must provide this PPE
free of charge to workers who need it. Any PPE provided must
fit properly .

24
 There are some circumstances when wearing a face
covering may be marginally beneficial as a precautionary
measure. The evidence suggests that wearing a face covering
does not protect you, but it may protect others if you are
infected but have not developed symptoms.
A face covering can be very simple and may be worn in
6.1 Face enclosed spaces where social distancing isn’t possible. It just
needs to cover your mouth and nose. It is not the same as a
coverings face mask, such as the surgical masks or respirators used by
health and care workers. Similarly, face coverings are not the
same as the PPE used to manage risks like dust and spray in
an industrial context. Supplies of PPE, including face masks,
must continue to be reserved for those who need them to
protect against risks in their workplace, such as health and
care workers, and those in industrial settings like those
exposed to dust hazards.
It is important to know that the evidence of the benefit of
using a face covering to protect others is weak and the effect
is likely to be small, therefore face coverings are not a
replacement for the other ways of managing risk, including
minimising time spent in contact, using fixed teams and
partnering for close-up work, and increasing hand and surface
washing. These other measures remain the best ways of
managing risk in the workplace and government would
therefore not expect to see employers relying on face
coverings as risk management for the purpose of their health
and safety assessments.
Wearing a face covering is optional and is not required by
law, including in the workplace. If you choose to wear one, it
is important to use face coverings properly and wash your
hands before putting them on and taking them off.
Employers should support their workers in using
face coverings safely if they choose to wear one. This means
telling workers:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for

20 seconds or use hand sanitiser before putting a
face covering on, and after removing it.
• When wearing a face covering, avoid touching your face
or face covering, as you could contaminate them with
germs from your hands.
• Change your face covering if it becomes damp or
if you’ve touched it.
• Continue to wash your hands regularly.
• Change and wash your face covering daily.

• If the material is washable, wash in line with

manufacturer’s instructions. If it’s not washable, dispose of
it carefully in your usual waste.
• Practise social distancing wherever possible.
You can make face-coverings at home and can find guidance
on how to do this and use them safely on GOV.UK.

25
7. Workforce management
7.1 Shift patterns and working groups
Objective: To change the way work is organised to create distinct groups and
reduce the number of contacts each employee has.

Steps that will As far as possible, where staff are split into teams
usually be or shift groups, fixing these teams or shift groups so
that where contact is unavoidable, this happens
needed: between the same people.

Identifying areas where people directly pass things

to each other, for example office supplies, and
finding ways to remove direct contact, such as
using drop-off points or transfer zones.

27
 Objective: To avoid unnecessary work travel and keep people safe
when they do need to travel between locations.

Steps that will usually be needed:

7.2 Work-
related travel Minimising non-essential travel – consider remote options
first.

Minimising the number of people travelling together in any

7.2.1 Cars, one vehicle, using fixed travel partners, increasing
ventilation when possible and avoiding sitting face-to-face.
accommodation and
visits
Cleaning shared vehicles between shifts or on handover.

Where workers are required to stay away from their home,

centrally logging the stay and making sure any overnight
accommodation meets social distancing guidelines.

Objective: To help workers delivering to other sites such as

7.2 Work- branches, or suppliers’ or customers’ premises to maintain social
distancing and hygiene practices.
related travel
Steps that will usually be needed:
7.2.2 Deliveries to Other
Sites Putting in place procedures to minimise person-to-person
contact during deliveries to other sites.

Maintaining consistent pairing where two-person deliveries

are required.

Minimising contact during payments and exchange of

documentation, for example, by using electronic payment
methods and electronically signed and exchanged
documents.

28
 Objective: To make sure all workers understand COVID-19 related
safety procedures.

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7.3
Communications Providing clear, consistent and regular communication to
and Training improve understanding and consistency of ways of working.

Engaging with workers and worker representatives through

7.3.1 Returning to Work existing communication routes to explain and agree any
changes in working arrangements.

Developing communication and training materials for

workers prior to returning to site, especially around new
procedures for arrival at work.

7.3 Objective: To make sure all workers are kept up to date with how
Communications safety measures are being implemented or updated.

and Training Steps that will usually be needed:

Steps that will usually be needed:
7.3.2 Ongoing
communications and Ongoing engagement with workers (including through
signage trades unions or employee representative groups) to
monitor and understand any unforeseen impacts of
changes to working environments.

Awareness and focus on the importance of mental health at

times of uncertainty. The government has published
guidance on the mental health and wellbeing aspects of
coronavirus (COVID-19).

Using simple, clear messaging to explain guidelines using

images and clear language, with consideration of groups
for which English may not be their first language.

Using visual communications, for example, whiteboards or

signage, to explain changes to schedules, breakdowns or
materials shortages to reduce the need for face-to-face
communications.

Communicating approaches and operational procedures to

Example signage to promote
hygiene and social
distancing measures
suppliers, customers or trade bodies to help their adoption
and to share experience.
29
8. Inbound and outbound goods

Objective: Steps that will usually be needed:

To maintain social
distancing and avoid Revising pick-up and drop-off collection points, procedures,
surface transmission signage and markings.
when goods enter
and leave the site. Minimising unnecessary contact at gatehouse security, yard
and warehouse. For example, non-contact deliveries where
the nature of the product allows for use of electronic pre-
booking.

Considering methods to reduce frequency of deliveries, for

example by ordering larger quantities less often.

Where possible and safe, having single workers load or

unload vehicles.

Where possible, using the same pairs of people for loads

where more than one is needed.

Enabling drivers to access welfare facilities when required,

consistent with other guidance.

Encouraging drivers to stay in their vehicles where this does

not compromise their safety and existing safe working
practice, such as preventing drive-aways.
30
Where to obtain further guidance
COVID-19: what you need to do
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Support for businesses and employers during coronavirus (COVID-19)
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support
General guidance for employees during coronavirus (COVID-19)
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guidance-and-support-for-employees-during-
coronavirus-covid-19

Appendix
Definitions

Common Areas The term ‘common area’ refers to areas and amenities which are provided for
the common use of more than one person including canteens, reception areas,
meeting rooms, areas of worship, toilets, gardens, fire escapes, kitchens,
fitness facilities, store rooms, laundry facilities.
Clinically extremely Clinically extremely vulnerable people will have received a letter telling them
vulnerable they are in this group, or will have been told by their GP. Guidance on who is in
this group can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-
protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-
shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

Clinically vulnerable Clinically vulnerable people include those aged 70 or over and those with some
people underlying health conditions, all members of this group are listed in the
‘clinically vulnerable’ section here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-
home-and-away-from-others/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-
from-others

31
© Crown copyright 2020
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